Kyle Riegler, ELR Staffer ‘26

Over the past decade, plastic bag bans have become a popular environmental policy in cities and states across the country. On the surface, the idea makes intuitive sense: plastic is a pollutant, plastic bags are one of the most commonly littered items, and banning them seems like a straightforward way to reduce waste and protect ecosystems. Since the implementation of these policies, studies have concluded that the bans have “largely succeeded” in their goal of reducing plastic bag use. But when we analyze the data and economic incentives behind alternative bag usage, an unexpected truth emerges: plastic bag bans do not meaningfully reduce environmental harm, and in some cases, they worsen it.

The Problem With “Reusable” Alternatives 

The largest flaw in plastic bag bans is the assumption that “reusable” alternative bags are better for the environment. In reality, many “reusable” alternatives significantly harm the environment. Paper bags require more water, energy, and chemicals to produce than plastic bags. Paper bags also weigh more, which contributes to higher carbon emissions when transporting paper bags through the supply chain. While paper bags biodegrade quicker than plastic bags, breaking down naturally in weeks or months without persistent pollution, they can account for five times more carbon emissions than plastic bags through the production and supply chain transportation process. 

Danish and U.K. studies have concluded that cotton totes are the worst on the environment of all “reusable” alternatives. Growing cotton requires land, huge quantities of water, and chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Cotton totes are also difficult to recycle in the United States, so only 15.2% of all textiles were recycled in 2017. What’s more, a single cotton tote creates the same environmental impact as 7,100 plastic bags. Organic cotton bags are far worse, as organic cotton yields are 30% less than conventional cotton. Therefore, a single organic cotton tote creates the carbon emission as 20,000 plastic bags. 

Many stores have shifted the cost of plastic bag alternatives to the consumer. Businesses would provide plastic bags at no cost. Now, businesses charge a fee, usually $0.05 to $0.10 per bag, for paper bags, or more for reusable plastic bags. Plastic bag bans have eliminated the marginal cost for businesses of purchasing plastic bags and created an opportunity for additional revenue, penalizing the consumer. 

Banning plastic bags shifts environmental harm upstream, while plastic bag attributed pollution no longer occurs at the consumer level the manufacturing and transportation of these “reusable” alternatives creates greater carbon emissions before the bags reach the consumer. These bans also increase costs for the consumer, who contribute insignificantly to worldwide pollution. Furthermore, many shoppers regularly forget their previously purchased reusable bags and end up purchasing additional unneeded reusable bags.